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And the first gold medal of Rio Games goes to...

American teenager Ginny Thrasher won first gold medal of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Picture credits: TeamTalk
American teenager Ginny Thrasher won first gold medal of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Picture credits: TeamTalk

American teenager Ginny Thrasher has won the first gold medal of the 2016 Rio Olympics, taking first place in the women's 10m air rifle.

The 19-year-old set a new Olympic record with a total of 208.0 in the final round to claim gold ahead of China's 2006 world champion Du Li (207.0).

Defending champion Yi Siling from China could only finish third with 185.4.

Competing in her first Olympics and starting as an outsider, Thrasher secured her first major international victory and upstaged 2012 gold medallist Yi and world number one Andrea Arsovic with the Serb failing to reach the final.

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